Unfading Grass
by MegChes
Summary: A story about future king Eldarion and his sister, Minyare. Legolas comes to visit during Minyare's birthday party, and suspicions arise. Midway, the siblings embark on a quest to save their mother, Arwen. Warning:Some cheesiness! Please R&R! Ch.7 up!
1. Breakfast

**Unfading Grass**

By **Meggin Fallohide _"Minyaré_"** (except for Sections #1 &2) & **Ches _"Eldarion"_**

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_**Warning:** Unless you absolutely love cheesy humor and corny drama, please do not read this and don't bother flaming, because we **know** we're being insufferable. Also, if you're constantly concerned about treating Tolkien's work with accuracy, please **leave** right now. Otherwise, enjoy! _

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**Breakfast **_Through Min's eyes_

I awoke to a gray sky, about to burst with rain, and my handmaiden's face looming over mine. I shrieked.

"Minyaré, Lady Arwen requires your presence." She pretended she hadn't heard the shriek.

I groaned. "It's '_Lady_ Minyar', Nurithil! Do I have to? It's barely 7 in the morning! It's not like we have lessons on a Saturday!"

Nurithil gave me a stern look. "No, Lady," she stressed the word "lady", "but 'tis of urgent nature."

I got up and shrugged. _Well, if it's of "urgent nature", like she says..._

I headed out the door.

"No, no, no, Lady, not until you've washed and dressed."

I gave a big sigh. "What? It's only my mother, for heaven's sake!"

I gave another groan and oh-so-patiently bore Nurithil's fussing. Nurithil always had to have me all prim and perfect before I went out of my room, even if it was only my mother I was meeting. Not that there was anything else she could do for my plain and unattractive features.

After she was done, I headed down the hall towards our kitchen. There, I saw my little twin sisters, Neverin and Neveriniel, tugging at my mother's skirts and screaming at the top of their lungs. My two older sisters, Erhothien and Imbequesse, we're sitting at the table. Erhothien was reading a book, and Imbequesse was cleaning her nails painstakingly, acting as if she couldn't hear my little sisters' barbaric screams. My father, Aragorn, and my brother, Eldarion, were still in bed. I rolled my eyes. _This is the "urgent" business I was to attend to?_

"Tell us a story mommy! It's raining outside, and there's nothing to do!!! Please please please!" Neverin yelled.

"I can hear you honey. You don't have to yell in mommy's ear," Arwen replied patiently. "Finish your breakfast first."

"Mommy, when is Prince Legolas coming? Can I learn how to shoot the pointy arrow thingey! Please please please!" Neveriniel pleaded. My mother got a strange and indiscernible look in her eyes at the mention of Legolas' name.

"Soon, honey, now finish your breakfast." She settled her in her chair.

In the midst of all this chaos, I cleared my throat. "Um, mother, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" The look in my mother's eyes vanished once she looked up at me. Had I only imagined it?

"Oh, thank goodness, Min, would you please take your sisters out of the kitchen while I help the servants with the dishes, please?" My mother always insisted on helping the servants.

I gave an exasperated look at my older sisters. Erhothien glanced up, smirked, and went back to her book, and Imbequesse gave no response. "Why didn't you just ask them to help?" I asked, gesturing to my sisters. In the next instant I regretted it, for I saw that my mother was drained and tired.

Mother just smiled. "We all know that you're the best one at handling little children, especially little devils such as these," she laughingly said, and winked. I just sighed and called the girls. "Come on Neverin, Neveriniel! Who wants to go for a piggy back ride?" They shrieked and almost run me over. I left the kitchen, but not before I saw my mother looking out the window, with the imperceptible look in her eyes once again.

**Warhorse** _Through Min's eyes_

We headed to the nursery, me on all fours, and the little minxes riding on my back, determined to make the already hard journey harder. They bounced up and down, pulled on the collar of my dress like it was the reins of a horse, and kicked my side, trying to make me gallop.

"Ow!" I shrieked. "You little--!"

I bumped my head on something. "Ow!" I yelled again. "What in the world..."

I dislodged the imps, sat up, and rubbed my head. I looked up and saw that it was my brother. I noticed that he had just finished taking a shower and was dressed very spiffily.

"Oh hey sis," he said, trying to control a chuckle. It came out nonetheless.

"Oh, you're the one to laugh. Where are you going?"

His smirk was replaced by a nervous smile. He looked down at his newly-shined shoes. "Um, nowhere."

I stood up and dusted my dress. Good thing I wore an apron. "Come on, Eldarion, I know you're going somewhere! Where are you going, it's raining, for crying out loud!"

He mumbled something.

"What?"

"I have a date." It was barely voiced.

I smiled. "Hey, good for you! So, who is it?"

He picked nonexistent lint on his shirt. "Um, you know."

"Know who?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Um, Amandoliel."

"Amandoliel," I said slowly, trying to place a face with the familiar-sounding name. It came to me.

"Oh, Amandoliel! The girl who used to live right next to us who thought you were a geek, when we were 12? Ha! Remember when you asked her out, and she was like, 'What a total dork'?" I snorted.

Eldarion looked like he wished he hadn't told me anything. "Um, yeah. She lives farther away now, but I can reach it soon enough with a horse. Okay, see you, dude." He positively _ran_ out the door. I laughed again.

I was smiling towards the door, envying my brother for what must have been five minutes, when I felt an impatient tugging on my skirts. I looked down. The twins had dangerous looking pouts on their faces, and Neverin stamped her foot.

"We didn't finish the piggy back ride yet!" she whined, and Neveriniel started crying.

I panicked. "Oh, Neveriniel, don't cry, here, I'll be a horse again, and you can be a shieldmaiden, like the White Lady of Rohan!" I knew that Neveriniel held Lady Éowyn in high esteem. She always got a dreamy look in her eyes whenever I told her tales about the Lady.

"Really?" Neveriniel smiled and wiped her cheeks.

"What about me? Who will I be?" Neverin continued whining. I sighed.

"Um, you can be Lord Faramir, come to save Lady Éowyn's life!"

Neverin stamped her foot again. "I don't wanna be Lord Faramir. I wanna be a shieldmaiden too!"

I frowned and puckered my forehead in thought. "Um, you can be a, um... a warrior hobbit! Like Merry Brandybuck!"

Neverin smiled reluctantly. "Okay. Only if I get to ride on the horse."

I groaned inwardly. "Of course, Neverin. Okay, up on my back, warriors!" They hopped heartily onto my back, and I grunted. We continued the trek towards the nursery.

"Ow!" I bumped my head on what was probably a pair of legs, and groaned. _Not again, _I thought._ Who is it this time? People really should get out of the way of a war- horse._ I looked up from my uncomfortable position, expecting Father to be awake. Instead, I met a pair of deep blue eyes. Eyes, I saw, that were... laughing at me? I sat up quickly, to the dismay of my sisters. "Whoa, horsey!" Neverin yelled, to my embarrassment. I reddened.

I heard a chuckle, and Legolas stuck a hand in front of my face. I took it, and he pulled me up. "Hello, Lady Minyaré," he said in a low voice, so only I could hear.

Standing up, I was only as tall as his chin. I looked down. "Um, welcome, Legolas, er-"

Thankfully, my father had already reached the bottom of the stairs and was ready to greet him. "Legolas, old friend! How was the journey?"

Legolas held my gaze for a moment, his teasing, before replying, "Pleasant, Aragorn. How is Arwen?"


	2. The Lessons

**Unfading Grass**

MegChes

**The Lessons** _Through Min's eyes_

I stoo leaning against a tree, tapping my foot impatiently and staring up at the clear sky. I scanned the horizon to see my brother, Eldarion, flying through the lush trees, riding on a big black stallion. The other horses were taken today, by my siblings- when that happened, by brother and I would usually share Kaiga, a distant relative of one of the greatest horses from the Rohirrim, Brego.

"Oh, hurry up Eldarion!" I yelled. I sighed, and blew a strand of hair that had escaped from its neat braid. I shifted my gaze to look at the entrance of our palace, to the porch, where Legolas and my parents were cheerfully conversing. I found myself gawking, and maybe even with my mouth open, at the strange elf. It had been some time since I'd seen him. Had he grown older, more mature somehow? I nearly squinted. No. He looked exactly the same. Odd.

"Yo dude! Stop staring into space, dude," Eldarion yelled, halting Kaiga a few feet away from where I was standing. I tore my gaze from the distance and glared at my brother. "Min, you can ride up with me- Kaiga is a strong lass, she is." He patted the space behind where he sat. "Hop on." Eager for something to distract myself from my boredom, I hitched myself up and clung to my brother's waist. "Dude like, loose the grip, dude," Eldarion choked, prying my fingers slightly. "It's not like we're bungee jumping here, dude."

"You use 'dude' too much," I lectured. "I bet you're the only person around here who uses that word. Seriously, Eldarion, _get a life_." Kaiga trotted around the tree, and a few moments later she galloped freely like she did once before. It was an exhilarating feeling.

Suddenly, a white stallion appeared beside us. Eldarion and I quickly whisked our head sideways.

"Yo _dudes_." The blond elf smiled in greeting.

Eldarion broke into laughter. "Dude, like, DUDE WASSUP DUDE, _WASSUP_!!!!" Legolas and Eldarion did that weird thing they always did, holding their hands up with just the pointer and pinky sticking in the air, and waving it around wildly like random rappers.

"Stop embarrassing yourselves," I muttered, shielding my eyes in disgust.

"Why, Lady Minyaré." Legolas stopped the weird hand movement and tugged at his horse's reins, causing his steed to cease the pace. Kaiga immediately followed suit. "I must talk to you. In private."

I gulped, and stared down at my hands, which were clutching the reins. Was I in trouble? Did Legolas still remember that time, before he departed for his errand, when I accidentally used his bow and broke it in half, while I was hitting it on a table top in frustration? Did he....I gasped. _Did he tell on me????_

Eldarion, seeing the importance of the matter, halted Kaiga and leapt off gracefully. "I'll be inside," he muttered hastily, and he turned and ran, leaving me alone with the blond elf.

"I-I-d-d-d-d-didn't-m-m" I stammered furiously. My hands trembled.

Legolas drew his horse closer to mine, and reached out and steadied my hands. "Stop. I forgive you already," he said sternly. I looked up at him in disbelief. "I already got a new bow- a Galadrim Bow 2000. It's even better."

It felt as if a great burden had been lifted off my shoulders. "T-thanks," I whispered. "_Dude_," I added, hoping to please him. Then I did that little weird hand thing. _If Eldarion saw me now he would laugh._ Like, crazy.

Legolas chuckled at this, then quickly lowered his eyes, as if thinking deeply. "Min...your parents...they have allowed me to give you archery lessons."

My eyes bulged out, and my mouth dropped open. I probably looked really weird then- I always look weird when I'm surprised- according to Eldarion. "_Shut up!_'' I broke into a wide grin. "After I just broke your bow? Seriously?"

"I trust you. And I know how much this would mean to you, because I can see you want to learn so much...it would be a good way to kill time too. Just...use a better method of anger management, okay?" He fingered his new bow, which was slung over his shoulder.

"I thought of a bargain," I exclaimed. I pulled out my drawing pad from my pocket. Legolas smiled at the sight of it. "Teach me how to shoot, and I shall teach you how to draw. Deal?"

He grinned at this, but said, "Deal. Any new pictures?"

I hesitated. "Yes, actually." I flipped to a recent page. "It's a picture of my mom. I caught her standing in the balcony one night, staring out at the sea. I could see her, but she couldn't see me- so I drew her. Here." I showed it to him.

I was quite proud of my picture- it was my best so far, actually. My mother, Arwen Undomiel, was that night clad in a beautiful evening gown, and there was a slight chill breeze that had been playfully blowing her tresses. I had woken up from a strange dream, and because I found it difficult to fall back asleep, I snuck out and hid behind the wall near our balcony, clutching my precious drawing pad and my pack of pencils. The lithe image of my mother inspired me, and soon I found my hand itching to draw her beautiful outline, her intricate details. Only half of her ivory face was showing, and almost everything else was carefully shaded with the round, smooth stub of my ebony pencil.

Legolas' expression became nearly unreadable, as something- pain? surprise? clouded his eyes for a quick second. He tore his gaze away from it.

"Lovely," he murmured. "You're quite an artist, my lady."

I stared back at him curiously, and after a while, closed my drawing pad and slipped it back in my pocket. "Can I ask you a question?"

Legolas stopped his horse under a nearby willow tree. "Anything."

"Do I look like my mom?"

He looked at my face, and inspected it closely. "You have her hair," he added finally. "But your features, I must say, are more like your father's- only more feminine, of course."

"Do you want to know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think I look like myself. Perfectly unique and original in everyway," I declared smugly.

"Well, yes, that's true, but you did inherit _some_ things from your parents."

"Hmph." I was currently practicing how to be clever. I was also currently practicing how to say witty, clever, and sly things. I was, and have always been, a clumsy person- clumsy in everything I did except for drawing. And whenever I drew, I fell into my own dream- my own world of unlimited paradise.

"We will start lessons tomorrow." Legolas' voice interrupted my thoughts. "The lessons are especially just for you, but if your brother Eldarion wants to pipe in as well, he is most welcome to."

"But-" I objected. But Legolas had already left, swift as wind, and I saw him as a distant figure, a mere speck contrasting with the walls of our palace.

**Birthday Present **_through Eldarion's eyes_

I came back from town, canvas paper in tow. It was a gift for Minyaré, by the way, because I knew she'd been wanting a mural-sized canvas forever. Of course, she doesn't know I'd gone to town to get it for her, because she thinks I'd gone to visit...what was her name? Never mind. Not that I would have wanted to remember, anyway. Besides, my disguise (the spiffy suit) was pretty clever, if I do say so myself.

I opened the door quietly, and sneaked in. No one in sight. I supposed that Min and Legolas were still at it with the archery lessons. I smirked. _Wonder how that's going_, I thought. I knew for a fact that Minyaré has been smitten with Legolas ever since...well, ever since she was old enough to be smitten, practically. She would never admit it, though. I only knew because I'd catch her drawing Legolas' outline all the time, although I didn't know where she stashes the sketches afterwards.

Anyway, I walked as quietly as I possibly could in my best boots (part of the act, I might add), which was not very. I was also leaving a trail of muddy boot prints all over the floor. I yelled out loud in exasperation, clapped my hand over my mouth immediately, and then took the boots off. This was not going as I had planned. I tiptoed quietly up the stairs towards Minyaré's room. When I reached it, I saw that the doors were open. Strange. Min's always left her door closed (her drawings were off-limits). Practically the only person allowed in her room was her handmaiden...well, and I, of course.

I peeked inside through the opening. Weird, no one was around, as far as I could tell. I opened the door and walked in. Looking for a place to put the canvas, I spotted feet sticking out from under the bed. Suddenly I got an insane idea. I pulled on the feet hard, almost causing myself to fall over. I had an inkling it was one of the servants, trying to steal some of my sister's jewelry. I'll teach them, all right. Servants were always trying to steal something from us. Don't we pay them enough?

I looked down and saw that I was correct in my assumption, at least the first part of it. It _was_ one of our servants. In fact it was Min's handmaiden. She was around my sister's age, and her black hair was covered in dust and who knows what else. She was blinking her eyes from the light and coughing, partly from the dust falling from her hair. She seemed really annoyed, and I could tell on account that she was looking at me with extreme irritation. She looked familiar, but I didn't know her name though (My parents just hired her). Nurithil? Nuridil?

"Uh – Nuridil! Stand up at once! Would you mind telling me _what_ you were doing under my sister's bed? Answer me!" I added, just for good measure.

"No, I wouldn't mind, _your highness_," she hissed. "And it's _Nurithil_, if you don't mind, _my lord_. I was merely cleaning her room, _your grace_, and under her bed is the _filthiest _part of the room!" The only part she said without sarcasm was the last part. "And you, _your majesty_? Would you mind telling _me_ what _you_ are doing in Lady Minyaré's room?" Her green eyes were narrowed in annoyance. Man, her eyes were so green.

"Okay, okay, you can stop calling me _your highness_ and the other various forms of it, now!" I yelled. I mean, _your grace_ is one thing, but _your majesty_ is just way over the line. "I get the picture, dude. I was just dropping off a present for my sister. It's for her birthday, you know." Of course, she probably already knew that, but somehow I felt that I had to give a reason for what I was doing in her presence. I could see why she was employed.

She grabbed the package from my hands. "Alright, your grace, I will be sure to deliver it into her hands promptly. In the meantime, I would appreciate it if you would leave me to get back to my cleaning." Her tone was still seething, but her eyes seemed a bit softened. _Probably because she's finally getting back to her cleaning_, I thought.

She made to crawl back under the bed, but I stopped her. "You'll tell her it's from me, won't you?" I asked, a little worriedly. "I mean, dude, she's been wanting this for a long time. I want her to know I still think about her." I regret to say that I blushed a little at the last part.

She looked at me, smiled a bit, and said, "I will, Lord Eldarion. I will." And she crawled back under the bed.


	3. Preparations

**Unfading Grass**

.:MegChes:.

**Preparations **_through Min's eyes_

I tightened the strings of my cloak and drew on my hood. It was especially chilly today, and the winds were blowing furiously. I growled. One thing I hated was when the weather shifted so suddenly- one day it was the sunny, the other day rain was pouring and the degrees dipped so low that my parents wouldn't even let me go outside.

_Where is he?_ I thought to myself, biting my lip. I couldn't stand the excitement. I longed for the day when I could get a bow of my own- maybe even the Galadrim Bow 2000, the most impressive bow around. For now Legolas would let me use his. Suddenly, I saw a familiar figure in the distance. I half-expected it to be my teacher, but then, to my dismay, I realized who it really was.

"MIN! ARE YOU CRAZY???" It was Imbequesse, my annoying older sister. If we stood beside each other, people usually couldn't tell how we were related. She had long, straight blond hair, and piercing gray eyes. "Minyaré, do you know what the _temperature_ is?"

My teeth chattered as I shook my head. She would spoil it for sure. I had been waiting all day for this time to come, and now my annoying, pathetic sister was ruining everything.

"IT'S NINE DEGREES! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, ARE YOU TRYING TO _KILL_ YOURSELF?" She grabbed my arm and dragged me after her as she began to make her way back to our palace.

"I have a cloak," I yelled over the wind, gesturing wildly. Imbequesse grabbed hold of the fabric and rubbed in between her fingers. She snorted.

"This is _cotton_, Min, and the thinnest one I've ever felt. I am not going to get mom mad at me for leaving you out here."

"NO!" I wailed, pulling my arm away from her so furiously that the drawing pad I always carried around fell out and toppled into the grass. "PLEASE! Just give me, like, ten more minutes! I promise I'll come in!" I stooped down hurriedly to pick up my sketches, but I knew she saw.

"Min," she growled through gritted teeth. "What is _that_?" She snatched the drawing pad and flipped back a few pages. She pointed to a girl with a big head and bulging eyes. It was supposed to be her, and I purposely made her ugly because I drew it that day she ripped up a really good sketch I made of Eldarion as a half Uruk-Hai. My sister was actually very pretty, so I knew she would blow up when she saw it.

"It's a caricature," I explained hastily. I tried to grab it from her, but she held on firmly.

"My head," she whispered, touching the page. "My _eyes._ Oh my gosh Min, what have you done to my _eyes_?!"

"It's a _caricature_," I repeated, finally snatching back the pad. My sister glared at me.

"I am so telling. I am _so telling_ on you. Drawing demonic pictures like that of your siblings. I am going to tell mom to _banish_ that wretched drawing pad from your possession!" she threatened, shaking a finger in my face. Tears sprang to my eyes, and at that moment a blond elf stepped out from nowhere.

"Why, hello Lady Imbequesse," Legolas greeted kindly. My sister's raging expression melted immediately. "I was simply going to give your lovely sister here a brief archery lesson, maybe ten minutes at most, because of this inconvenient weather. If you would please give us some space?"

Imbequesse gawked at him. "Of course," she murmured, and she turned and walked away briskly.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "You saved my _life_," I whispered, gazing at him in awe.

"A lovely picture you have there," he joked. "But enough of that. We don't have much time." He pulled out his beautiful Galadrim Bow 2000. It seemed to have an angel-like glow about it. "Here," he offered. Carefully I clutched the bow in my hand and tried to position it correctly. He laughed, and rearranged my right hand. "Your holding too tight. Let go a bit." I loosened my grip. "Good. Now focus ahead to that cloth, hanging from that tree."

Ahead of me I saw a gray piece of fabric fluttering in the breeze. It was about the size of the huge window we had in our living room. "See, Min- as we keep progressing, that cloth is going to shrink...smaller and smaller. We'll build up your keen sense of eyesight, so pretty soon you'll be shooting targets smaller that a horse's eye."

"Cool," I murmured.

"Now," he instructed. "Pull back the bowstring." I obeyed. "Place the quiver of your bow near your mouth, and your eye above where your fingers are. Focus on the point of your arrow, and beyond that, focus on the target." It was a bit confusing, but I did as I was told. "Aim for the very center- but to do that, you have to aim a little _below _the center."

"Ah," I murmured. I pushed my aim farther down.

"Now, let go."

The arrow whizzed like a prisoner set free from jail. The slender stick flew through the air and shot that cloth down. I gawked, not believing what I had just accomplished.

"Good," Legolas complimented, patting my shoulder in approval.

We did this a few more times, and each time I stepped back a little bit, futhering the distance between myself and the cloth.

"Very nice," Legolas exclaimed, clearly impressed. "We better be going inside now."

"Lady Minyaré!" My handmaiden, Nurithil, came running towards me and Legolas. She curtsied hastily, being in the presence of two royals. Quickly she shoved a huge package in my arms. "It's from your brother Eldarion. Don't ask me what the heck it is, but I suggest you open it on your birthday. Good evening to you both." She rushed away.

"My birthday," I gasped. "I forgot _all about_ my birthday." I felt the edges of the package. It seemed to be a roll of some huge piece of parchment. My heart leapt at the possibilities of what it could be.

"It's going to be a huge celebration," a familiar voice rang from the stairway. I looked up and smiled, seeing the old, but majestic figure of my father, Aragorn. He walked towards us, flashed a smile at Legolas, and embraced me in a huge hug. "My little girl, turning seventeen." I fidgeted under his hug and pulled away.

"Huge?" I cringed. I didn't like too much attention.

"Well, of course." He looked at Legolas. "A double celebration. We're celebrating your birthday and Legolas' coming back all at once. We've invited people from all over the place." He winked at the both of us. "The servants are up and about, setting up the preparations. 'Tis going to be a grand event."

"Mhmm," I murmured. My father waved his hand in departure.

"Later, my love." He met my two other sisters and ushered them out into the dining room.

I turned to face Legolas and pulled out a folded sheet from my pocket. "Here," I whispered, handing it to him. I watched as he unfolded it.

"_Directions for sketching Eldarion_," he read aloud. "_Shading will come later after my next archery lesson_." He looked up and smiled. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," I replied. "Maybe I can teach you how to draw my mother sometime. But I'm saving the best for last."

"You're a very talented girl," he smiled, although something I said must placed him deep in thought. He pocketed the slip of paper. "I'll see you around." He left silently, disappearing into the shadows of the eastern corridor.

I sighed, watching him vanish into the darkness. It was the weather. All the weather's fault.

Kind of groaning, I trudged up the stairs and flung open my bedroom door, smiling to see everything was where I had left it. Tossing my drawing pad and the package from my brother on the bed, I turned around and closed my door, locking it. By routine, I got down on my belly and stuck my head under the bottom of my bed, feeling around for the pleasant touch of paper.

My eyes bulged out as I saw that all my secret sketches, which I kept under my bed, were gone.

I rolled over onto my back and screamed.

**Plunged in Gloom** _through Min's eyes_

"Lady Minyaré!" Nurithil called out. I sighed, and peered down through the foliage of the tree I was precariously perched in. "Lady _Minyaré_! What are you doing out here in this _weather_?!"

"Mourning," I answered softly. "Grieving...grieving the loss of my loved ones."

"Get _down_ from there, my Lady. Orders from your parents. They insist on having you _inside_ for family dinner with our guest Prince Legolas. I bet they wouldn't be too pleased seeing you out here freezing yourself to death." She looked up the tree, and her forehead furrowed- she was obviously enraged. "For goodness sake, Lady Minyaré, you don't even have a _cloak_ on!"

I answered in a deathly silence. I closed my eyes and let the wind ruffle my dusty brown hair. I tried to keep tears from coming out, but they flowed forth after a moment of hesitation. Yes, I was always dramatically sensitive when it came to losing good drawings or sketches. I didn't understand how people could be so heartless, how they could treat a perfectly good work of art as some random trash. I didn't care who the culprit was, all I wanted were my drawings back.

"Lady Minyaré, I am _warning_ you, if you don't come down that tree..." she paused threateningly. "I'm _armed_ you know."

"Oh," I retorted sarcastically. "I'm like _so_ scared." I was in a foul mood.

Abruptly, an arrow embedded itself in the branch I was nearest to, merely grazing the cloth of my sleeve. I gasped, and looked down at my handmaiden. "Nurithil!" I yelled in shock. "Are you trying to _kill_ me?!"

"Get. Down." She ordered through gritted teeth. She slung the bow it was carrying over her shoulder (it wasn't even a Galadrim Bow 2000). "I may be a handmaiden, but your parents have given me the permission to do whatever I can to make you follow family instructions. Now if I see you disobey them, I assure you that you will most certainly regret it."

The tone of her voice really hit the nail hard. Quickly I scrambled down the tree and whined as Nurithil threw a thick cloak over my head, obscuring my vision. She pinched my ear, which was protruding slightly under the fabric, and dragged me inside the palace. Instantly I felt a heavenly warmth from the fireplace engulf me. I snatched the cloak off and shoved it at Nurithil, at the same time sniffing the air and recognizing the smell of a fabulous dinner.

"Nurithil," I asked her, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Have you encountered any...sketches...recently? Anytime when you were cleaning out my bedroom?" I took her shoulders and shook her furiously. "This is _serious_. I may never smile again for the rest of my life if I don't know."

Nurithil sighed. "My lady, even if I 'encountered' your sketches, I know how much drawing means to you. I would never throw them away."

I gasped in glee. "Then where are they? Do you know?" I frowned. I hoped the Nurithil hadn't been paying attention to the light outlines of my most recent sketch. It was my most private, deepest thought- probably only Eldarion knew about it. I wasn't a very good diary-writing person, but I would often express my feelings through my beloved ebony pencil.

"My lady, you are holding up the feast," Nurithil murmured impatiently. "Come along now." She placed her hand on the curve of my back and escorted me into the dining room. There I saw the engraged, impatient faces of my family. The twins, Neverin and Neveriniel, were bouncing up and down in their seats in the most pig-like fashion.

"WE WANT FOOD! WE WANT FOOD!" they were chanting.

Imbequesse, and my other sisters, were simply staring at the food before them, hunger beaming from their eyes. The only reasonably calm people I saw were my parents, and the guest Legolas.

"Finally, Minyaré has arrived," Erhothien muttered. "What are you waiting for? Sit down. We're starving."

"Have you been trying to kill yourself outside again?" Imbequesse asked, distaste filling her eyes. I took a seat across from her, the only empty seat. My sisters were lined in one row across one end of the table, and I was the only girl among my brothers on the other side. I sighed with relief as I realized I had a seat beside Eldarion- my most annoying, but fondest sibling and friend. Legolas was farther down the table in my line of sisters, and my father and mother were seated on each end- the "high" seats, my siblings would call them.

"Dude, what took you so long?" Eldarion whispered. Then his eyes grew wide. "Did you get my package?" he asked, softer this time. He looked at Nurithil in a curious way as she curtsied and exited the room.

"Yeah." I looked up and saw my Father nod, a sign that it was all right for everyone to start eating. The twins nearly buried their faces in the mashed potatoes. "I'm not opening it till my birthday, but the suspense is killing me."

My brother didn't reply as he dug into his food.

Unlike most of my siblings, I was quite a picky eater. I usually didn't try something I hadn't eaten before unless it looked appetizing from the outside. Everything on my plate was scarce (all of them I had tried before, thank goodness) because I really wasn't very hungry. I thought it was from being out in the cold for too long. I stared down at my peas, and rolled them around under my fork, and tried to stab each little green sphere with one of the tines. The peas were moist, and kept slipping under my utensil. I growled in annoyance.

"Gosh, Min," Imbequesse muttered. "Would you just eat your food and stop playing pea hockey?"

Neverin thought this was quite funny and burst out in loud peals of laughter. I saw my mother, who was obviously already tired to tending to so many children, shake her head and sigh.

"It is quite interesting," Erhothien piped in, after chewing her dose of fried rice. She reached out for a piece of _lembas_ bread. "It would be most fascinating to have it as a real sport one day, instead of the regular archery, swordfighting, and such." She dabbed her mouth with her napkin, reached down to her lap, and pulled out a small book. She flipped a few pages. "You are, though, Min, lacking the significant _goals_ on each end of your plate. Otherwise there would be no _point_ to the game, for where would each opponent shoot the ball? You are also lacking another _player_." She flipped a few more pages and began to read.

The table was corrupted with silence.

"_Okaaaaaay_," Eldarion muttered, rolling his eyes. "I cannot believe I'm related to that _dudette._"

I nodded in approval, and stuck one of the peas in my mouth. I glanced over at the other end of the table, to try and see what Legolas was doing. He, too, was a picky eater, or at least he'd told me so. I gasped. He was gone!

"Legolas is gone," I shrieked, tugging on Eldarion's sleeve. His sleeve drooped into the mashed potatoes.

"Geez, Min, quit it with the hand action, okay? I just washed this today..." he muttered as he tried to wipe off the stain with his napkin. What I said to him seemed to sink in at that moment. "Slipped away, probably. He always does. A strange dude, if you ask me."

I decided not to press the matter anymore. I wished I could slip away too, but I would be too conspicious and clumsy, and my father would surely call me back. How did he manage to do that? Slip around quietly, like some professional spy?

Time seemed to slink by slowly. By the time fifteen minutes passed, I had only eaten the peas on my plate and the mashed potatoes and fried rice were left untouched. I was falling into my own world of hurt, as I began to remember my lost drawings. Maybe they weren't really lost. Maybe Nurithil had hidden them somewhere to play a trick on me. How _could_ she?!

"It is time," my father boomed. I jolted out of my thoughts and dropped my fork. How clumsy could I get? "It is time," my father repeated. "For Minyaré's _early_ birthday present." My eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Suddenly, I gasped. "_Shut up._ Did you get me a Galadrim Bow 2000? _Shut up._"

"No," my mother smiled, as she stood up. She took out about five small brown-wrapped packages from behind her back. "It is actually much smaller, but we thought it would please you...and us all...to have your beautiful artwork displayed to the _public_ during the grand celebration."

My mouth dropped open, as I pushed back my chair and dashed quickly to my mother's side. I grabbed a package and tore off the wrapping. It was my caricature of Eldarion using chopsticks- the large piece of paper was framed magnificently in a rectangle of polished mallorn wood, with beautiful floral designs carved within. One of my sacred, secret drawings I never showed to anyone, especially not my brother. "_No_," I moaned. "How could you? These belong under my bed- not in- not in- _frames_!" I screeched. My mother just laughed and handed me another package.

"Where did you get these?" I demanded.

"Nurithil, your handmaiden, discovered them under your bed. It was actually her terrific idea," mother answered. _I am going to kill her,_ I thought to myself angrily.

This was going to get worse, I knew it. Did they frame my deepest secret? My deepest sketch? Holding my breath, I tore off the wrapping paper. Before I knew it, Eldarion was behind my back, peering over my shoulder at the drawing.

"Dude...is that...is that..."


	4. Birthday Poem

**Unfading Grass**

.:MegChes:.

**Birthday Poem** _through Eldarion's eyes_

Well, actually, it was a sketch of Kaiga's nostrils, but that wasn't really what I was referring to. What was holding my gaze was another sketch of Min's; it was the profile of Legolas I saw her drawing before. It was finished already, with the shadowing filled in. The only color evident in the portrait was blue, found in the eyes, adding to their intensity. I have to admit, my sister is _good_.

Anyway, the sketch fell out of the frame of the other sketch Min was holding, and landed on the floor. Before I said another word, I picked it up quickly, crumpled it up, and put it in my pocket.

My parents looked at me with interest. "What was that, Eldarion?" my mother asked.

I thought quickly. "Erm, it's—it's a poem I'm writing."

"A poem?" Min, looked at me incredulously. "You don't write _poems_!"

That _hurt_. "Oh yeah? Well, I'm writing one, and," here I straightened, "I will reveal it during the night of Minyaré's birthday party."

My parents looked delighted; my sister, suspicious. Very surprising.

I jerked my head towards the stairs. "Erm. Hey, Min," I said with fake enthusiasm, "Would you like to see this picture I tried to sketch? Of course your drawings would beat mine anytime, but... anyway, it's upstairs," I said, ignoring her disbelieving glances.

"Now?" she whispered. "El, what are you talking about? Since _when_ did you take up drawing?"

Father was growing impatient. "What is going _on_? Are we going to finish eating dinner, or what?" A growl from his stomach punctuated his question.

Much as I didn't want to go against father's commands, especially when he was still hungry, I continued, "It'll only take a minute. It's _really _important." I pulled Minyaré to her knees and up the stairs before Father could detain us.

I practically ran right through my door, with barely any time to open it. When we got inside, Min twisted her arm out of my grasp.

"Okay, El, you're acting really weird. _Please_ explain what is going on! And make it quick, I have to get those sketches from mother's clutches, she'll ruin everything! How could Nurithil do that! I trusted her! I—" I cut her off.

"Look, I have your sketch of Legolas." I gave her the crumpled piece of paper, which I had tried to smooth out to the best of my ability. "Um, it fell on the ground, and I didn't want anyone to see it, so yeah. And I _am_ going to write a poem for you." I added, as if that would have made things all right.

She tentatively reached for the sketch. Mournfully, she lifted it up with both of her hands, as if it was a piece of antiquated paper about to crumble into pieces. Then, almost religiously, she slowly placed the piece of paper on my bed, sniffing all the time. It almost made _me_ cry. Almost.

"You...crumpled...up...my...drawing?" She heaved a great sob after every word. It was agonizing. drawing?" She drew her hands into fists, which made me nervous as heck.

I put up my hands as a gesture of comfort, but I'm sure it looked like I was surrendering. "Look, Min, I was just trying to keep your secret safe!" I pleaded. I almost fell to my knees, practically. "Look, I'll make it up to you, okay? I don't know how, but I will! Please, don't cry, don't cry!"

She glared daggers at me. "What secret?!" She spat out. "I don't have a _secret_! I would feel just as bad if you crumpled any one of my other drawings! I didn't want them to see _any_ of my drawings, understand? And now that they have, what difference would this _one_ drawing have made? And now you've ruined it!" She stalked off to her room, leaving her drawing on my bed.

"Tell me, Min!" I yelled at her back. "Tell me what I've ruined!" I yelled again, this time at her closed door. It was no use, of course. Min could hold a grudge for _weeks_. It made me feel like crap every single time, though.

Anyway, I sat there for what seemed like hours, although it was probably only a few minutes, thinking about my miserable life, when I felt someone step into the room. I looked up; lo and behold, there was Nurithil. The person who started all this.

"Oh, looked who finally showed up." I muttered with biting sarcasm. At least that was probably what it sounded like to her. "Come to say you're sorry? Well, save it for some other time, okay?" Man, I was really feeling cruddy.

She frowned. "Look, if you really want to know—"

"I don't want to know," I cut in.

"If you really want to know," she repeated, "I _did _come to say I was sorry..."

I rolled my eyes.

"To _Minyaré_. I came to ask you first what all the yelling was about."

I laughed bitterly. Yeah, I was really depressed. "Oh, so you're an eavesdropper too."

"Look, I didn't know that Minyaré didn't want her picture shown. I just thought I was doing her a favor!"

"Well, some _favor_ you did her...and me."

"In fact, I'm going to say sorry to her right now, since you refuse to listen to me."

"Fine, go _right_ ahead." I turned my back on her.

Next thing I know, the door slammed shut. I instantly felt remorseful, especially since Nurithil and I were becoming...well, we were becoming friends, sort of. And now I _had_ ruined it. I'd ruined everything.

"Dude, _what_ is your problem!" I yelled at the ceiling. I smacked myself on the head, fell face down on my bed...and I started to think about that poem.

**Apology Accepted **_through Min's eyes_

A knock came from my door. I was flopped down on my bed, angry tears dripping down my cheeks. I don't know why I always got so emotional when it came to ruined artwork- it just happened. I was clenching my fists so tight that the nails dug right into my skin. I pressed even harder, and bit my lip.

"Go _away_ Eldarion!" I yelled. "Just...go....away."

"Lady Minyaré? It's me, Nurithil. Please open the door." I heard another soft, tentative knock.

I groaned. I hated intruders. Always popping in, never giving me a moment's peace. "Why'd you have to do that, Nurithil? You know me when it comes to my artwork. When it comes to my _private_ artwork." I sniffed, and I also stopped crying. _Geez, Min, get a grip on yourself._

"Please, my lady, just open the door." Her voice was soft but firm. Sighing, I stood up and succumbed to her wish.

Nurithil came in quickly, without a word, without a glance. Brushing my shoulder, she walked past me and sat down on the bed, sighing. "My lady, I didn't know this would..._offend_ you so deeply. You have a rare, beautiful talent in your hands, and...I thought it would please you to _expose_ it."

I snorted. "When the time comes. On my birthday is not that time. Plus those are my private pictures, Nurithil. You know what 'private' means? It's like someone's _diary_. Now I'm not a writer, but I am an artist. Those sketches were like _diary entries-_ how would you like to have your private diary entries framed for the public to see?" I slapped my forehead in frustration, plopping down on the bed beside my handmaiden.

"Um...Kaiga's nostrils are _private_?" Nurithil asked jestingly.

"_Yes_," I retorted. "People would laugh at me if they found out I took the time drawing and shading a horse's nostrils. But don't blame me, I was bored that day, and my sibs were hogging all the steeds. And Eldarion hogged Kaiga for too long."

Nurithil gave another sigh, this time more laborious. I immediately regretted having spoken to her so harshly. I knew she didn't mean for things to end up so badly. Why did I have to be so emotional? Taking a deep breath, I leaned forward and locked Nurithil in an embrace. Kind of surprised, she hesitantly returned it.

"If you want, my lady...I could take back the sketches..."

"You don't have to," I interrupted, pulling back._ Wow. I never thought I'd say this in a million years._ "It's okay. I was just acting really immature. Really, that was a terrific idea. I shouldn't have been so sensitive. Maybe when people see the drawings, people will want their portraits done or something and I can earn money to buy something really big." A clear, sharp image of a Galadrim Bow 2000 shot in my head.

"Are you sure, my lady?" she asked. She looked like she was going to burst into tears any moment.

"Yeah." I gestured for her to stand up. "Go. It's all right. Forget any of this happened."

Nurithil gave a teary smile, and turned to leave. She stopped in her footsteps, remembering something. "Oh, and I suggest you talk with your brother...he seems...stressed." She turned and left, actually remembering to close the door of my haven behind her. A sad, sinking feeling flooded my body.

"Aw man, I must have really hurt Eldarion this time," I murmured under my breath. I thought about what he said. I denied that I had a 'secret'. Wait. _Did_ I have one? I rubbed my temples in confusion. Man, it was way too late. Sleepiness and languor was overtaking my body. I needed to apologize for my harsh, rude words.

Quietly, I opened the door, and stepped outside into the dark hallway. The only light provided was the dark rays of the luminous moon. The light cast eerie patterns along the dark wooded floor. Silently, I shut my door and crept down the corridor, making for my brother's bedroom, directly across from mine, because our bedrooms were on both ends of the hallway. As soon as I got to my destination, I raised my hand to knock.

"Eldarion?" I heard a scramble and a sound of stuff being thrown around in the bedroom. What was he up to now? I knocked again. The door was opened to me. There was my brother, all bedraggled, and the same as ever. I raised an eyebrow in pure interest. "What were you doing?" I asked, stepping into his room.

"Nothing." The typical answer.

I decided to get straight to business. "Look, Eldarion, I'm sorry for screaming at you." I paused, forgetting the words I had rehearsed in my head. "I-I-" I stammered.

"It's okay," Eldarion assured. "I forgive you." He took my drawing of Legolas from his desk. He flattened it somehow, so it was almost as good as new- the only giveaways were the light creases on the parchment where it had been crumpled. Why did I make such a big deal out of _crumpled_ artwork? At least it wasn't _ripped_. "Here. I used the dough roller from the kitchen headquarters to try and straighten your picture out...it was the best I could do." He extended his hand.

I took the picture, folded it neatly, and pocketed it. "Thanks...I appreciate it." I racked my head for something to talk about, to distract me from this painful topic. But sleep was conquering. I found myself literally swaying, and I grasped Eldarion's table for support to steady myself.

"Whoah. Min. You okay?" I softened to see the concerned look in his eyes.

"Yeah...I better be getting to bed. See ya." With a wave of my hand, I exited his room, pleased with the way things went. I stumbled down the dark hallway.

I gave a loud shriek as I tripped over something on the floor. "What on Middle Earth-" I got down to my knees to inspect the obstacle. It was Neveriniel, clutching her Teddy Orc. "Thunderstorms," she moaned. "I'm scared!" I heard a bolt shoot down from the sky, and my little sister cringed, pulling the stuffed toy closer to her chest. "I've been waiting for you," she muttered innocently. "Or Eldarion." I marveled how she depended so much on me or Eldarion besides her other older siblings.

I reached out and picked up her frail figure in my arms. I held her close, and began to enter my bedroom. Suddenly, I felt something slimy against my back. I yelled, and dropped Neveriniel, who began laughing wildly as she made her desperate escape.

She had dropped a worm down my back. What a jerk- I couldn't believe how gullible I was.

I gave a loud growl, which sent my little sister running even faster.

**_More_ Preparations** _through Min's eyes_

It was harder than it looked. _Much_ harder. Groaning painfully, I tried to aim the tip of the arrow to the small gray cloth, fluttering simply in the breeze. My hand was literally shaking with nervousness. It had always been my dream, besides being successful with drawing, to be a great, feared female archer. My most recent pictures were now of me, holding a Galadrim Bow 2000, and my arrow blasting an orc's head off. Right now, the dream didn't seem likely to come true. We've had two lessons already now, and this was our third one. And sure enough, my gray target shrunk a little bit each time.

"Remember what I told you," Legolas urged, his hand over mine, helping me position it. "Relax. Don't be so tense. Pull the feathers just slightly past your mouth, and aim a little below the center of the target." I released the arrow, and it whizzed through the air, missing the cloth by inches.

The sensitive person I was, I gave a scream of exasperation and stomped my foot in the dirt. "Legolas, it's hopeless. I'm not good at it. I'll never be good at _anything_." I paused, a little disgusted with how pathetic and self pitiful I sounded. _Even Legolas, the great archer he is, had to start somewhere. He was probably terrible too, but as he kept practicing, his skills improved._ I blushed, embarrassed with how immature I sounded.

Legolas simply smiled- not mocking, but encouraging. "Here." I gave the bow to him, ready for some majestic demonstration. I longed to start shooting some professional tricks, like two or four arrows whizzing through the air in unison, each one hitting the target and splitting each other straight in half- one after the other. But if I couldn't target this, how much more horrible would I be at such marvelous doings? I stood back, aghast as he pulled back the string, and aimed.

My mind flew, and my heart beat faster. I marveled at how _calm_ he always looked, no matter what was going on around him. What a skill it was, to be able to hide your feelings so well. I imagined him, the way he was now- with golden hair slightly blowing in the breeze, bow in hand, twin blades at his side, eyes twinkling with an indiscernible emotion, nothing but a proud grin on his flawless, alabaster face. I imagined him this way, in the middle of a loud, gory battle, with people's heads being torn off, limbs being broken, swords slitting through hearts. _Wow_.

It was all too fast. While my mind was wandering off, and while my super calm instructor was giving instructions, the arrow had pierced the very strings of the fabric, dead center. Did it even happen? It was all a blur. I shook my head, shaking my distracting thoughts away. My fingers twitched, and I knew I was once again inspired to draw someone.

"If it helps," Legolas continued, placing the bow back in my hands, "take deep breaths to clear your mind before you shoot. Before you know it, you won't have to do it any more- nerve and concentration is all it takes. It will come naturally after time." He picked a fairly sharp arrow from my lot and handed it to me, feathers first. I nodded, and gulped nervously. I gripped the arrow between my fingers in the way he had taught me how, and I aimed. "You can do this," he assured. "Close your eyes, and breathe evenly. _No thalion. _Be strong"

I closed my eyes. I breathed evenly. My fingers quavered slightly, and I relaxed my hand just a little. After some time, I opened my eyes, and steered my concentration to the heart of the fluttering cloth. _Die, cloth,_ I thought to myself, sniggering. I released the arrow.

It flew in a slender route, and ripped the cloth down the branch.

"Well done," Legolas laughed. "I knew you could do it. You're the persistent one." That was all it took to make me blush with pride once again. Before I walked in, I gave him another folded scrap of paper. '_Directions to drawing and shading Imbequesse. Imbequesse holding her eyelash curler will be coming after you give me my next lesson.'_

Once I saw the hairbrush, I ran away screaming.

"_Nurithil's attacking me!! Ai! Thau nin! Lasto pen nin! _Yikes! Help me! Someone hear me!" I yelled, leaping through the halls of the palace, my fright giving deft wings to my feet. There's this rumor that every elf treats his or her hair with just as much care as taking care of a baby. Uh- _so_ not true. Anyway, I was half human, so it didn't really matter. As I ran, I fingered my dark locks. They were tangled, as usual. I would always fall asleep in bed, forgetting to undo the braids, thus resulting in intricate mazes matted hair the next morning.

"Yes I _can_ hear you," Erhothien yelled from her bedroom, her melodious voice carrying itself through her door, which was ajar. I heard the mad flipping of pages in her book. "If you are going to blast people's eardrums off, at _least_ use the right _vocabulary_. It's 'chase', Minyaré, not 'attack'. If your handmaiden bore a deathly sword or spear in her hand, then it would be proper." More flipping of pages. "Geez. You exaggerate such minor things too much."

I ignored her. On I ran. "_Get out of the way Neverin!_" I yelled to my little sister, who was playing with her dolls in the middle of one corridor.

"Can we play Warhorse again?" she asked, standing up and obediently pressing herself against the wall to let me pass. I heard Nurithil panting behind me, struggling to keep up.

"Not today, Neverin. I'm busy."

"Okay, but next time I wanna be Eowyn again!"

I turned a corner, and ran smack into Eldarion. Before I had any time to react, he held me in his arms, my face thrust into his chest. He clutched me hard, as if he was trying to suck all the breath out of me.

"Great job, Eldarion," I heard Nurithil compliment behind me.

"Eldarion! You were plotting _against_ me?! You're with Nurithil on _brushing my hair_?!" I exploded in anger. My voice came out muffled, so they understood nothing I said.

"You're welcome," I heard Eldarion say smugly. "Hold still, little sister. Today's your birthday, and we're actually doing you a huge favor." I felt his fingers run through my hair.

"_Ow_," I screeched, as it tugged against a tangle. "That _hurt_!"

"I'll handle the victim from here, thank you very much, _your grace_," Nurithil chuckled, pinching the fabric of my sleeve between her fingers. "Come now, my lady. You can't come to your party looking like...like..._seaweed_," she ended finally, for the lack of something to say. I gasped in shock. Nurithil gave a tug, and against my will, I was trailing after her, like a prisoner being sent back into its cell after a desperate escape. I glared over my shoulder at Eldarion, who blew me a kiss in return.

I found myself in front of a ceiling to floor mirror. And for two agonizing hours, I gave an occasional yelp of agony as the bristles of the brush tugged at my tresses. My scalp burned. My strands were the trees, and the brush was the wildfire, tearing through the forest like mad, hurting everything in its way. The process was painful, but according the all-knowing Nurithil, 'it would do me good'.

I did not look normal. I saw a reflection of a tall girl, in a long maroon and white dress. I would usually just throw on some shaggy gown lying around in my closet. Nurithil considered black, but black did not look good on me. It was only proper when I was in mourning for lost drawings and sketches. In my reflection, I saw rosy cheeks that stayed rosy after two minutes- which only happens when someone _rips_ my drawings in eyeshot. Nurithil had borrowed some beauty equipment from my older sisters, and did some more horrifying things to 'do me good'. On my the reflection's head was a tiara of jewels, twinkling brightly as if there was some hidden life within. The reflection stared back at me with wide, fearful sapphire eyes.

"Whoah. Dude, what...did...you...do..." I ran my finger through my hair, expecting to run into a tangle. Instead, it came cleanly out the other end.

"_Alae!_ Ah! You look beautiful, darling," Nurithil cooed. _Whoah. Only my mom says 'darling'_. Nurithil glanced at her watch. "Oh, sorry. I have to leave, there's this turkey I'm attending to, you know, for the grand feast and all." She held up a finger to lecture me. "_Don't_ go horseback riding in your good dress, and _don't_ mess up your hair. Whatever you do, just...just don't do anything, okay?" She flashed me a wink, and rushed out the door.

Ick. Ick, ick, ick. Wasn't it enough that I was showing my sketches to the public- sketches which belonged in the privacy of the cozy place under my bed? I stared at my hair, and began to tear the neat little braids out, trying to get it back to normal.

"Oh my _gosh_ Min! I never knew you had someone _gorgeous_ in there!" To my horror, Imbequesse came bursting in the room, looking all glamorous herself. She touched my dress and did a weird clicking sound with her tongue. "That Nurithil- that Nurithil, she has good _taste_," Imbequesse dragged on, her voice all high and pitchy as if she were referring to food instead of her sister. She saw what I had done to my hair, and she did that weird clicking sound again. "Don't tie your hair back in braids, Min. First of all, it's an old look, and it's not _your_ look. Second of all, it's good to be original. Just let it down." With gentle fingers, she undid the braids, and tresses collapsed. She patted my hair. "_There_. See? That's all it takes." She patted my hair again, and linked her arm around mine. "Come on, you don't want to be late to your own celebration, do you?" I winced in disgust, as the fragrance of her strong perfume wafted in my nostrils.

"Wait- I forgot my sketch book!" I held back, but Imbequesse slapped my arm.

"And leave that blasted book behind," she growled through clenched teeth.

* * *

**.:Reviews greatly appreciated!!!!!:.**


	5. Masquerade

**Unfading Grass**

.:MegChes:.

**Masquerade** _through Eldarion's eyes_

I woke up and noticed that it was already dusk. Suddenly I remembered what had woken me up in the first place. "_Rhach ha!_" I muttered.Minyaré's birthday party, I was pretty sure, was taking place right at this moment. Quickly I grabbed the piece of paper with the poem I had painstakingly written on it. On the mirror, I saw a lanky man staring back at me, with hair tousled, and clothing crumpled. Not to mention eyes underlined with shadows. I ran downstairs, and, on the way to the dining room, I ran my hand under the running water from the fountain and combed the droplets through my hair.

Although I knew what beauty to expect once I stepped through the arched, richly-carved wooden entrance, my breath was still painfully taken. Perhaps it was because this outdoor dining room was rarely used, except for exceedingly special occasions (such as birthdays). Once inside, I looked about at the elegant but natural surroundings with awe. I never can close my mouth whenever I enter this awesome place. The grass-covered ground was brilliant and glowing with night flowers, blooming for all they were worth, and giving out a calming fragrant smell. The whole place was enclosed with carved tall, white poles, with night flowers winding around them. There was a long table on either side of the enclosure practically covered with various foods of the best quality, with a huge space in between them for dancing and celebration. But what caught my attention most strongly was the wooden, carved ceiling, lined with dangling ropes of blossoms, and a candle-filled chandelier. In between the bars that made up the ceiling I could see the dark blue of the night sky, with barely a star speckling it, and the moon glowing brightly.

After what seemed like long minutes, I felt someone tapping my shoulder. I shook my head of the daydreams which were slowly filling it, and discreetly wiped the drool creeping out of my mouth. I turned around quickly, and finally faced Minyaré, to whom I was nervously waiting to read my poem to, and I stood there hoping she wouldn't ask me to read it in front of everyone else. After all, it was meant for her ears alone.

"Hey, El, glad you could make it out of your room," she said, but all in good fun. "Why don't you dance with one of the girls over there? There absolutely _dying_ to get to know you." She laughed and gestured to a huddle of girls giggling and whispering. It seemed like I was the object of their attention, but I glanced behind me, just in case. Sure enough, there was Legolas, looking regal in his grand white tunic, but uncomfortable nonetheless. I sighed dejectedly and shook my head. "What are you _wearing_?" She finally noticed that I had not changed from the clothes I had worn in the morning and slept in.

"Never mind, that," I said, "I just wanted to read you the poem before you wander off. You are the birthday girl, after all, and everyone will be wanting your attention." I said good-naturedly.

She brightened enormously. "Why don't you go read it out loud, so everyone will hear it? Hold on, I'll ask Father to stop the band from playing for a minute. I'm sure everyone'll love your poem!"

Before I could insert a word of protest, she was pulling me to the center of the room. Father, after a whispered word in his ear, announced, "Everyone, I'm delighted you could all make it to this exceptional event celebrating my daughter's birthday," he said in a booming voice, and, squeezing Min's shoulders, added, "Tonight, I would like to announce, proudly, I might add, that my son, Prince Eldarion, has something special to say to her. Son?" He gestured to me, and I, red in the face, swallowed my embarrassment deeply, took center stage, and began:

_Uireb sui al pelin thar_

(Everlasting like unfading grass)

_Párt Ethraid calen godref anor a loss_

(Always green through sun and snow)

_Laug sui arnediad gail_

(Warm as neverending light)

_Ha toltha godref i núr nuin_

(That reaches through to the depths below.)

_Thar limp ah lend a pathro midh_

(Grass soaked with sweet and refreshing dew)

_Ha nestad ha anno faer idh_

(That heals and lets soul, weary, rest)

_Gail síla i gern nif_

(Light that illumines the weary face)

_A tírad I menel annun_

(And shows to it the heav'nly west.)

_Uireb sidh ennas _

(Infinite peace and tranquility, there,)

_O iell bain nif síla_

(From her beautiful face does ever show)

_Uireb sui al pelin thar_

(Everlasting like unfading grass)

_Párt ethraid calen godref anor a loss_

(Always green through sun and snow.)

My voice sounded rough at the beginning, but I started to improvise and made up a tune to go with the poem, and at the end the final note held high and clear. When I finished the poem (or song), I felt refreshed and renewed, like I had just released something that I had hidden until now. I looked around, and saw tears in my sister's eyes, which was strange; I don't think anything I'd ever done had brought her to tears (of joy, that is). I felt glad that it was over, and, giving her a quick hug, walked to the refreshments table to grab a sip of punch. After I finished the whole cup, I finally looked up and saw that most everyone else was already dancing and the lights were dimmed. That is, all elves but one. I noticed a forlorn figure of a maiden standing in the corner by the other end of the refreshment table. As I drew nearer, I noticed she was wearing a white, sequined mask, which I thought odd; I didn't know the ball's theme was masquerade. She was wearing an elegant white gown to match, although it was probably a thousand-years old-fashioned—compared to my sister's clothes, that is.

I couldn't help it; curiosity was getting the better of me. Since nobody else seemed to want to dance with me, I figured, why not? I walked over as casually as I could towards her, and, before I could ask her to a dance, she saw me and remarked, "That was pretty well done, my lord."

Her voice sounded like she had a cold or something, and I thought she was coming up with something. Mayhap that was why she wasn't eager to head towards the dance floor. I decided then that I would just have a good old chat with her.

"Thanks. Wrote it myself, you know. It was funny, how I came up with a tune for it just at that moment." I smiled, reliving it in my head for an instant. "Say," I asked, attention diverted, "Why are you wearing a mask? Did I miss something?"

She suddenly had a coughing fit, and I instinctively patted her on the back, albeit awkwardly. Afterwards, she said, "Well, I thought I might come up with something creative to match the outfit, milord. Er... why are _you_ wearing such a disheveled outfit?" She retorted, then covered her mouth quickly. I didn't mind though.

"Well, as you know, I was working hard on the poem for my sis, to make sure it was just perfect, and of course, after all my creativity was so focused on one thing, I had to rest for a while; when I woke up, it was too late to change. It was a pretty good poem, though, wasn't it?" I was pretty full of myself. "I especially liked that last note at the end; heck, I didn't think I would be able to pull that off. I didn't know my voice could hold that long. What do you think?" I looked at her again, because she seemed to be irked by something; I couldn't tell very well, though, because of the mask. "Is something wrong, milady?"

"Nothing, your grace," she replied with her coarse voice, and she coughed again. It might have been just me, but it sounded as if they were forced. "I agree, I didn't know you could hold _such_ a long note, either." Now I was sure she was aggravated, because her voice gave it away. I wondered what I did wrong. "What did I do?" I asked, graciously, I thought.

"What did you do?" She asked derisively, and I was surprised to hear that her voice wasn't coarse anymore. In fact, it was loud and clear. "Can't you talk about anybody but yourself, for a change?" The voice sounded awfully familiar. "How about asking me to dance? I should have known!" She was practically face to face with me now, and I got a full view of her eyes. They were green.

Out of the blue (or green, I should say), something clicked. "Nurithil?" I gasped, awed. "What are you doing here?" She lowered her gaze quickly. "I mean, aren't you supposed to be cleaning my sister's room, or something?" I said, and not courteously, either. She looked up fiercely, held my gaze for a moment (a long moment, so that my eyes felt like they were being burned out of my skull), and she turned swiftly and fled from the room.

**Suspicions Arise** _through Min's eyes_

I almost sniggered as I saw the maiden dash away to some unknown place, after conversing with my brother Eldarion. He looked disappointed, for he shook his head and sighed. _You always blow it, Eldarion,_ I thought to myself. I felt a little sorry for him. Who was the maiden anyway? A likely candidate for a girlfriend, but he probably pissed her off with his excessive blurting of the word 'dude'. _Good luck next time._ I eyed the small bevy of giggling girls in the other corner, clad elegantly and whispering amongst themselves.

"Hey." I felt a small tap on my shoulder. I turned around, and nearly tripped on my long skirts. It was Erhothien, and as usual clutching a small book in her hands, her slender finger marking which page she was on. "A nice poem, eh?" she asked. I nodded my head, speechless as I recalled Eldarion's gift to me. I realized how I had underestimated his writing skills. Did I actually _cry_ when he recited it? "You have to give some credit to _me_," Erhothien blabbered on, reaching over to the refreshments table to pick up a small plate of cookies. She nibbled a bite. "I encouraged him to use better words. It was boring at first, but I helped him _embellish_ it, you know? I taught him how to _befriend_ a thesaurus." She finished her cookies, and she dapped her thin mouth daintily. "I'll see you around, birthday girl."

"My name's Minyaré," I informed her. She ignored me as she strutted off, opening her book to the page she was, and almost running into a servant carrying a platter of appetizers.

I was positively bored. A lively beat was being played by the band, and I could already see the dancing area slowly flooding with pairs, all magnificently dressed and ready for celebration. I could feel my lids dropping. Slowly, like a dummy, I lumbered over to a table and sat myself down on the bench, reaching for a plate and loading it with a bunch of various foods, despite my pickiness and lack of appetite. I grabbed a glass of wine as a waiter came passing by. He nodded his head in greeting as he continued on his way. I stared at my food, staring so hard, half-expecting the chicken leg to come bouncing up and start drumming a beat on my plate.

"Mother," I called out, as I saw my mother walking by, the hands of my twin sisters Neverin and Neveriniel enclosed in hers. She stopped, and stared at me. Her face was flushed, rosy with the excitement of the party. She was garbed in a beautiful white dress, and she had a wreath of white blossoms on her head. "You look beautiful," I told her, laughing.

"So do you," she replied, catching Neveriniel's hand before she could drop a worm down someone's back. "Enjoying yourself?" she asked.

I opened my mouth. "Not really..." I answered honestly. "When are we opening presents?"

"Later," she replied. "In about half an hour." She eyed my plate. "Why don't you _eat_ Minyaré? Tonight's all yours." She winked at me, and ushered my sisters along. I snatched the worm from Neveriniel's hand as she came whisking by.

"_Hey_!" she yelled, her face ferocious.

"Hey, hey," I lectured her, my eyes narrowing. "No worm-dropping tonight. _Behave yourself_." I dropped the worm on the ground. "_Hey!!_" she yelled even louder. "That's animal abuse." My little sister said more things but she was already halfway across the large area so that I couldn't hear her anymore. I watched them, and laughed loudly and Neverin and Neveriniel wriggled from my mother's grasp, and lunged on Eldarion, who was moping on the other end of the table. He screamed, and blushed in embarrassment when he realized who they were.

I attached the chicken leg on my plate with my fork (I refused to eat food with my fingers. I thought it was vulgar.) and took a small bite, just to please my mom. I gulped it down, and it tasted like cardboard. Using my spoon, I rearranged the foods that I had heaped on my plate. _I can't finish this,_ I thought to myself miserably. _Plus I'm really bored._ I glanced at my huge pile of gifts, sitting in the corner of area, isolated. My heart leaped with excitement as I imagined the possible gifts they contained. A Galadrim Bow 2000?

My eyes drifted over to Legolas, who was approaching my mom, apparently asking her for a dance. I couldn't help but notice how especially noble and calm he looked tonight, and how he had that angel-like presence that would make someone's heart flutter in their chest. I watched them, oblivious that I was snooping. He bowed slightly, and my mom blushed as she accepted his hand. They conversed with each other rapidly, and in unison they weaved through the crowd, making their way to the other side of the area, where there was more dancing space. I closed my mouth, because I had just realized it had been hanging open for some time. What was wrong with me?

I sighed. Shoving the plate of food away from me, I jumped up from the table and made my way through the people, seeking for someone to talk to. Eldarion. Where the heck was he since my sisters had lunged on him?

I was stopped by a small girl, who looked prone to lachrymose. Her eyes were wide and teary, and her fingers quavered as she pointed to one of my framed drawings, hanging above one of the tables. "Can you teach me how to draw that?" She asked in a trembly voice, pointing to the picture of Kaiga's nostrils. "It's so cool. I wanna have a copy of it so I can ask my mom to fashion my bedroom windows in that shape. Are they supposed to be deformed triangles?" She stared at me, mouth agape, waiting for an answer.

"Uh..." The girl's expression was heart-wrenching. "Maybe later..."

"O-okay," she muttered. "Happy b-birthday." She took a tissue from her pocket, blew her nose, and walked past me, brushing my shoulder.

I spotted Eldarion almost instantly, who was literally melting into a pole, and surrounded by an even larger multitude of girls. They were very loud.

"Excuse me," I murmured, trying to ease myself through the tight pack. "_Excuse me_." I came to Eldarion, fear beaming from his eyes. "Eldarion!" I yanked him up to his feet. "You okay?"

"_They're like monsters, Min_," he whispered lowly to me. "Stalking me. Everywhere I go..." he rubbed his temples, obviously stressed out. I grasped his sleeve and tugged him through the multitude of girls. "Follow me." Together we ran through the crowd, bumping and slamming into loud, sweaty people. Finally we were through, and we were panting like people who had just run a mile nonstop.

"I can't wait for this party to _end_," I complained. "I can't wait to open my gifts. Look at them. It's like, it's like a pile of temptations, lying there in the corner. I just wanna rip the wrappings to pieces and see what lies beneath." I eyed my ruggedy brother curiously. "I wonder what you got me...that package..."

"You'll see, _dude_," he murmured slyly, a grin playing on his face. I punched him in the shoulder. "Geez, Min, what did I ever _do _to you?" he moaned.

"Nothing. You're just annoying." I laughed, as I saw the same group of girls slowly inching towards him. "Two words, Eldarion: "_Run fast._" Eldarion gasped, and took my advice, practically pushing chairs over. Grown-ups stared at his shrinking figure, shaking their heads afterwards and muttering about how naughty he was. Ehehehe.

I sighed again. The sigh was thick with boredom and self-pity. I stared at my wristwatch- only ten minutes till the opening of gifts. My fingers twitched.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my arm. I turned around, and found myself face to face with Legolas. He was actually smiling, and he seemed to be in an especially cheery mood. He bowed politely, and extended his hand. "May I have a dance, o Lady Minyaré, soon to be famous artist?" My heart really _did_ flutter in my chest.

"Of course," I laughed. As our hands met, he pressed a folded piece of paper into my palm. "What's this?" I took it, and unfolded it. It was a picture of Eldarion, lightly sketched, with no shading filled in. I gaped at it. It was surprisingly _good_. The ears needed some work, but other than that, it was very _good_. "Where's the shading?" I asked, looking up to meet his gaze. He shrugged.

"I need some _extra help_," he explained. I laughed, and gave the paper back to him.

"I'll write you another set of more specific instructions then. After our next class."

We didn't talk for a while, just danced. My parents had hired a new quartet of singers. They were new, but they were growing to be very big. The lively song stopped, and it was replaced by the youthful, mournful voice of the elven singer. I sniffed. _Don't cry_, I thought to myself. _Don't be so emotional._

I closed my eyes, melting in to the beat of the music. Slowly, the loud voices around us faded, and I was in a world of darkness, and silence. It was so serene, and so peaceful, and I wished the moment could last forever.

After what seemed like an eternity, I opened my eyes. I was fully leaning on Legolas now, but he didn't seem to mind. I pulled back a little, beginning to get uncomfortable. Quickly, I scanned the area. Where was my mother? She was gone. Where'd she go?

"Did you see my mother?" I asked Legolas quickly. I grabbed a glass of water from the table and took a quick swig. Before he could answer, I gasped softly. "Eldarion's missing too. What the _heck _is going on?"

Legolas pulled away, alert. Something flashed in his eyes, and quickly I turned around and followed his gaze. I sharp jolt shook my body as I saw a dark hooded figure disappearing into the woods, carrying the lithe body of my mother. She appeared to be sleeping. Closely following the creature's heels was my brother Eldarion, his sword brandished. I stood there, open-mouthed, as I saw him abruptly drop his sword. His eyes dashed wildly about, and he opened his mouth, appearing to be screaming, but no sound came out. Like an animal, he groped at his face, confusion filling his expression.

At that moment, some unseen force took over my body. My hand trembled, and I dropped the glass I was carrying. With a crash it came tumbling to the floor.


	6. Acharnon

**Unfading Grass**

.::MegChes::.

Hello everyone!!! We'd like to thank all our reviewers for being SO PATIENT during the long wait for the next chapter to come out. Yes, obviously, we have been having serious writer's block- so serious that it lasted months. Please continue to bear with us, because we really _would_ like you to keep reading this story (reviews are our motivation, but I guess we won't get that if we won't keep posting, eh?). We hope you enjoy this chapter, and please continue to be patient as we struggle with writer's block- a writer's worst enemy. If it didn't exist, this story would've been finished brilliantly a million years ago.

**IMPORTANT:** **Oh yes, and we have come to a very drastic conclusion about the writers**- it will no longer be Meggin Fallohide AND Ches writing this story, but just Meg now (yes, me). My sister has been thinking a long time about it and decided that she didn't want to carry on anymore, for miscellaneous reasons, including schoolwork (you know how tough high school is). So I will now be doing both characters of this story, and it will still remain in this account. I hope you will treat the work the same way, because Ches _will_ be occasionally putting input whenever she feels like it.

**Read and Review!!!**

* * *

**Acharnon** _through Min's eyes_

I blinked. No one seemed to notice. The commotion in the area was so wild that the sound of crashing glass simply blended in with the music and talking filling the surroundings. As for me, I stood there, frozen, my hand quavering, wondering what the _heck_ had come over me. Instinctively, I stooped down to brush the shards in a pile, but then my hand started shaking like mad. It was like, I lost complete control over it, and it was a useless blob dangling off my wrist. One of the shards pierced my skin, a neat red line appeared on my finger.

"Minyaré." It was Legolas, his eyes still fixed at the shrinking figure of the hooded creature. "Leave that alone, and call your father. _Now_," he ordered, the sudden huskiness of his voice betraying his cool and collected appearance. It really scared me, because his voice sounded so urgent, like someone's _life_ was at stake. So immediately I scrambled up to my feet, sucking my finger.

"What's wrong with Eldarion-"

But Legolas was gone, a swift figure already in the grove of trees.

I was scared to death. My heart thumped uncontrollably in my chest as I ran across the area, my eyes scanning wildly about, searching for my father. At last I found him, sitting at the head of one of the dining tables, laughing and conversing with his guests. Quickly, as the panic inside me continued to rise, I whispered fiercely in his ear when I met him.

"Dad, come with me _now_. Something's _wrong_." I began pulling his sleeve. The guests looked at me, inquisitive looks in their eyes.

"Minyaré?" A look of worry crossed his expression. "What? What's wrong?"

"It's _mom_, dad, and- and- and _Eldarion_- something's _wrong_ dad, for crying out loud will you just come with me? Please? It's urgent!" I was literally hopping from foot to foot, pulling at my dad's sleeve. Suddenly he gave a yelp of pain, and pulled his arm away from my grip. My nails had dug into his skin. I pulled my hands away and tucked them behind my back, embarrassed.

"Daughter, calm down."

He didn't seem to get it.

"_Dad, COME ON_!" I screeched at the top of my lungs. Silence engulfed the room, and conversations stopped. All eyes turned to me immediately, and the band faltered in their song. My dad sighed, and pushed his chair back, standing up. Instantly, I dashed across the open space, not bothering to be polite as I pushed people aside, and other obstacles in my way. My little sisters, Neverin and Neveriniel, began bawling when they saw us running, and Imbequesse stared at us, her mouth agape. Erhothien actually had her nose out of her book for once.

"Quick," I shouted over my shoulder, as I began to enter the forest. "Everyone, stay where you are," I yelled at the confused crowd. "We'll be right back." I turned and resumed my running, pushing a branch that was in my way. My hand quavered like it did before, and I pricked myself on the rough surface. "Geez, _what_ is wrong with me?!"

I slowed my pace a little, backing up with my dad. I could hear the anxious beating of my heart in my chest, and my ears rang as I could hear action in a distant clearing in the grove of trees. It was difficult, with it being dark and all. The only light provided for us where the stars and the moon above. I let my father lead the way.

"Minyaré, whatever it is, it _better_ be a good enough reason to interrupt a conversation between me and our guests."

"Dad. This _is serious_. I'm not sure what's going on, but-" I stopped in mid sentence as we both came to a small clearing. I could barely digest the sight that I had before me, and I felt as if my heart had been all of a sudden lodged painfully in my throat.

The hooded man, of decently slim build- he was an elf, I could clearly see by his ears- had thrown his hood back to reveal his face. It was as white and deathly pale as a sheet of paper, and his pupils were an icy blue that sent shivers in your skin. His hair was jet black, and was slightly disheveled as it collapsed around his sharply contoured face. His scarlet lips were twisted in an evil smile. What shocked me most was what he was carrying in his arms: my mother. There she was, her head thrown back, her eyes closed and her dark lashes pressing against her cheeks. She wasn't dead, because I could see her stomach rise and fall as she took in even breaths. Her arms and legs dangled; she was like a doll in the hands of this cruel beast.

I could barely tear my eyes away from her. I saw Legolas, his bow in hand, and the arrow a few mere inches from the man's face. I saw Eldarion, sitting tensely down on the damp ground, his back against a tree. His eyes were wide and fearful, and as they met mine he turned away.

My father reacted the same way. His horrified eyes were on his wife, a limp doll.

My voice cracked as I began to speak. "Eldarion- Legolas- _what is going on_?" Tears stung my eyes, tears that I couldn't keep away. I looked at my mother, and then at the evil creature. I couldn't meet his gaze for long, for it was so painful to look at. "_What have you done with her_?"

"Stay back, Minyaré," Legolas whispered lowly. He tightened his bowstring.

I looked to my brother, who was looking more helpless than ever. "Eldarion?" His gaze met mine, and they were sad and forlorn. "What's going on?" I was responded by silence. "Eldarion? Eldarion, darn it, why won't you _talk to me_?" He shook his head, silent as ever.

"Silence, foolish girl." It was the first thing I heard the unknown man say. His voice was like a clap of thunder in my ears, jolting and crisp. "There is nothing you can do to make your brother talk. He is speechless. He is a mute- a pathetic, hopeless mute."

I snorted. "_Shut up_. My brother is _not_ a mute."

"Legolas." My father's voice was frantic, and thick with confusion. I could see his desperate attempt to not blow up at any moment, to stay calm, and act at the right time. "Will you please explain?"

The blond elf lowered his bow, his menacing gaze never leaving the man's face. Silence hung thick in the air, until finally Legolas spoke. "This is Acharnon," he began, gesturing to the man in distaste. The man smiled even wider and bowed, my mother still dangling from his arms. I shuddered. "He was my friend a long, long time ago. I had an archery contest with him once, and I won. He has now come back with revenge."

I almost laughed. "_What_?!" I exclaimed. I gawked at the man. "You came back here just because you're a stupid _sore loser_? You came back here because Legolas- no doubt the best archer there ever was- won a stupid _archery contest_? Man, you can really hold a grudge!" I really did a laugh, because I thought it was all a joke. No person would come back from a long, long time ago with revenge just because he lost a little contest, right?

No one laughed. I stopped with my chuckle, and it was then that everything dawned on me. This was real. This Archanon really _was_ crazy.

"I don't get it," I finally uttered.

"He has laid curses on Arwen, Eldarion, and you," Legolas continued, looking at me miserably.

"Curses?" My heart skipped a beat.

"Yes. Arwen has become paralyzed from the neck down. Eldarion's speech and sound has been taken away, resulting in him being a mute. And you- you have lost most sense of control with your hands. You can't draw, write, eat, or do simple things."

I gawked at him, and then at my hands. They were perfect, or at least they looked exactly what they looked like when I had gotten out of bed this morning. Then I remembered the dropped glass of wine. The shards and the rough tree branch piercing my skin. Could it possibly be the curse? As everyone stared at me, I reached upwards with tremulous hands to grab some strands of hair. My hands began quivering as I attempted to braid the strands. The tresses fell through my clumsy fingers, and I bit back a choke of pain.

Archanon set my mother on the ground roughly. I gasped as I saw her open her eyes; she fixed her teary gaze bravely on the black sky above her. Archanon stood back up, dusted his pants, and leaned against a tree. "Let's get some things straight."

We all stared at him. This had to a be a nightmare. I pinched myself, and did so too hard. My skin felt numb as I drew crimson blood from the pinch. I eyed my father wearily, who's hand was wavering above the hilt of his sword. Finally, he grasped it tightly.

As if reading his mind, Acharnon drew a weapon of his own, with a frightening speed. It was a long sword, made of polished silver with strange markings upon it. It looked strong, and had a slight curve midway on the silver. The weapon seemed to have an unearthly presence and glow as Acharnon lashed it deftly, the target being my father's neck. The blade halted merely an inch from his skin.

Legolas shot an arrow, but obviously nothing could beat Acharnon's fast reflexes. I gaped in awe as he used his free hand to catch and grasp the whizzing arrow in his grip before it even hit his clothing. "Please," Acharnon laughed, breaking the arrow easily in his fingers and dropping it on the ground below him, "stop it with the foolish attempts. Let me speak. Would you like to break the curses? Huh? _Huh_?" He eyed me, my father, and finally, silent Eldarion- I had never heard him not say a word for this long. My brother looked up at him in fear, and he sunk lower to the ground, as if cowering in his frightening presence.

Something twinkled in Acharnon's chill blue eyes. Cruelty, also mingled with laughter and eagerness- childish eagerness, like a little boy hoping and praying for an evil prank to work on his older siblings. Sighing lightly, he sheathed the weapon, and the thickness in the air eased a little. "You must accomplish a task. Well, several, actually. Fulfill them, and the curses will be lifted. Simple, eh? So do not fight back. Simply be obedient, and things will go well…hopefully." He gave a low chuckle. "Listen well, for you will only hear this once." Coughing lightly, he began.

**Curses and their Counters** _through Eldarion's eyes_

I had never been so scared in my life. I always thought I was a brave, strong man who would someday grow up to be good leader of his people. I had never felt so opposite of that- _ever_. I had never felt so alone, isolated, and cut off from the world or any means of communication until this point in time. As I sat there, cowering, the rough bark scratching against the sweaty fabric of my back, only one thought kept scrolling through my head: _Why me? Why me? Why me_? I was filled with self pity, regret, and concern for the rest of my family members. It wasn't my fault. I knew I had to follow Acharnon, who to me at that time was just a dark hooded figure carrying my limp mother in his arms. As I was escaping the multitude of girls (whom I later realized didn't really like me at all), I saw _him_. So I ran after him. I forgot to be stealthy and quiet, to call reinforcements or something- all I could think of was my mother. Then Acharnon turned around, muttered a few words, and I fell splat onto the ground, my voice utterly taken.

I thought all hope was gone now. I thought I had no hope of ever asking Nurithil, my complete adoration, out on a date. I didn't have a scrap of hope of getting my voice back, or even making it through the rest of this night alive. I was prepared to die. Despite that, I tuned in to Acharnon's little speech of how to lift the curses.

Our enemy began to circle a tree. He appeared to be thinking before he spoke. I watched as Minyaré fidgeted, and edged closer to Legolas, who was standing erect beside my father (who at this point was looking very desperate). Our elf friend sensed her presence, and they made brief eye contact. I knew what he was saying: _stay calm. It will be all right._ He always had an uncanny ability to keep a cool face during the most treacherous times. I saw his slender hand grasp my sister's, and my heart eased a little, to know that she was safe whenever he was around. If anything happened to her I could never forgive myself.

"It will be a long, perilous journey," Acharnon started, stopping to fiddle with a ring on his hand. I gulped. "You need wits, courage, and athleticism. Not to mention brains. You all have been acting pretty stupid the majority of this night. During the fulfillment of the curses, I will know always where you are. I will be checking up on you lot occasionally, to make sure you're doing what you need to do. Which I will tell you." He grinned. "Here's what you need to do. You listening? Huh? _Huh?_" His face was close to mine, and I felt his hot breath on my neck. I kept my face passive. "Oh, I forgot. You can't talk. Ahahah."

Minyaré rolled her eyes.

"Here's what you need to do," Acharnon repeated, taking a step back from me. "You must find what I lost a long time ago, and bring it back to me in good condition. You must befriend and enemy's enemy's enemy's untamed creature." Acharnon's chill gaze pierced through every one of us. My tired head was still figuring out the most recent thing he said.

"You aren't being specific," my father interrupted. "What did you lose?"

"Sorry," Acharnon replied. "No questions allowed. Remember, I'm saying all of these once. If your dumb little heads can't remember them, then it's all your fault. _All your fault_."

Legolas was fortunately writing everything down.

"Okay." Acharnon braced himself for continuation. "Those couple of things I just said are for the cursed ones to fulfill. And then, you each have your own separate, individual tasks to do in order to complete the counter curse. Your mother, Arwen, must visit Rohan and come back without any assistance whatsoever- with steeds, machines, humans, and anything I forgot."

"That's a contradiction," Legolas snarled, almost breaking his pencil stub in fury. "She's paralyzed. She can't possibly do that."

"No interruptions," Acharnon retorted. "Gosh, don't any of you know how to be _polite_ nowadays when someone else is talking? Anyway. Continuing. Minyaré, your task is easy. Your task is your _specialty_, I hear. You must draw a large portrait of me. Every single fine detail. Held beside my (rather wonderful) face, they must perfectly be alike, not one line should cause a flaw."

I could see my sister bite back an outburst of rage. Her hands, once skillful and controlled, now quivered like they had lives of their own.

"And, oh yes. Eldarion. The future king, the only son, the one everyone has…_high hopes for_."

I could do nothing but stare at him. Stare at him and wait for my task. What was I to do? Give a speech? So far all of the individual tasks contradicted the curses, thus making them difficult/impossible. Mine would most likely be so.

"Eldarion. You must scream within my earshot. That is all."

I thought this was rather stupid. I thought the entire thing was stupid. I was ready to give up. I stared at our current antagonist, my eyes expressionless. We all watched, agape, as he stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. At once, my father dashed to my mother's side, silent but caring, as he cradled her head in his lap. Her dark blue eyes stared up at him, wide and filled with life, unlike the rest of her body.

The next few minutes were smothered with silence, except for the occasional chirp of a cricket, or a twig cracking.

Legolas flipped his notebook shut. "They sound impossible, I know." His voice suddenly piercing the silence jolted all of us to our senses. "But I know Acharnon. He is…_sly_. Cunning. A twister of words. The contradictions are all probably riddles, I know. They _must_ be. I know there must be a way to solve them. And it's probably not the solution you're thinking of." Everyone, including me, stared at him with incredulity.

He sighed, and Minyaré lowered her eyes, shielding her worried tears. "We're wasting time. We best plan everything out tomorrow morning, to ease us all of our pain as quickly as possible. We have to head back and tell everyone the news." He paused, and something clouded his eyes. "I'm so sorry I won that archery contest. I had no clue a grudge could last this long."

Minyaré sighed. "Legolas. It's not your fault. You probably couldn't help it."

**Excerpt from Legolas' Notebook**

_.TASKS TO BE DONE TO BREAK THE CURSES ON:._

**Arwen-** paralyzed

**Minyaré-** control of hands is lost

**Eldarion-** mute

1. bring back what Acharnon lost (in good condition)

2. befriend an enemy's enemy's enemy's "untamed creature"

**.Arwen.**

1. Visit Rohan and back without assistance

**.Minyaré.**

1. Draw portrait of Acharnon, full detail

**.Eldarion.**

1. Scream within Acharnon's earshot

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	7. Tough Adjustments

**Unfading Grass**

.:MegChes:.

Thank you for the reviews. Also, you know who this is directed to if you are reading this: please DO NOT FLAME this story, as I said, if you don't like what you're reading,_ leave_ (we said that in the very first chapter, mind you). Flames do not help the writers at all. They are just used to barbecue orcs (lol, Meghan). Otherwise, thank you very much and I hope you like what you see. Remember, it is just Meggin Fallohide writing the chapters now, with occasional input by my sister Ches (and if that is so, it will most certainly be noted). Thank you.

And yes. There are obviously some modern things incorporated into this story. But that's a usual habit of mine, so don't think of it as an insult, but mere entertainment.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. The genius Tolkien does.

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**Tough Adjustments** _through Min's eyes_

I woke up with a start. My throat ached, and I realized I was incredibly thirsty. It was late at night, that was obvious, and the moon was just a small trickle of light seeping in through my translucent curtains. I looked down at my hands, which lay across my stomach, folded neatly. I pulled them apart, and my left hand flopped over to the side of the bed. It tried balling it into a fist, but found it quite difficult, and agonizing. I bit back a scream of rage, remembering the events of that night. On my birthday. It _had_ to be on my birthday.

The news was quite a shock for the people. As soon as we told everyone, the visitors began to murmur amongst themselves, and quickly the place began to drain out. Nervous people left, returning quickly to their homes and leaving our problems with us; perhaps they were scared we'd include them somehow. I can never forget the looks on my siblings' faces: Erhothien's mouth wide open, her precious book falling through her grip and onto the ground… Imbequesse's cloudy eyes, filled with terror… and Neverin and Neveriniel's skeptical looks, poking at their mother's arm and asking her to stop playing tricks. Of course it was no trick. It was totally, painfully true.

The first person we took care of was mother. We tucked her into bed, in a separate room close to the windows, overlooking the forest. We gave her also some liquids she was capable of drinking down. My father refused to leave her side, even when Legolas urged him to go to bed and take some rest, for we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Nothing broke my heart more than the sight of my dad, brave and strong, now looking weak and defeated as he sat there by my mother's side, caressing her hair with his calloused hands and staring deep, deep down into her blinking azure eyes, the only movement we noted. Such a beautiful thing, now trapped inside an unmoving body. It pained me to think of myself in her position.

Eldarion was another story. The independent "dude" he was, he refused the soothing broths and medicine the nurses offered to him; instead he headed directly to his bedroom and locked it, making sure the 'DO NOT DISTURB' sign was visible on his doorknob. I wished to sit with him and talk to him, even though he couldn't talk back. I longed to escape this place of limits and sadness. I longed to be _free_.

I suddenly remembered I hadn't opened my gifts yet. I recalled that they were still stacked in their neat pyramid outside in the party area. But they meant nothing to me now. They could wait. I would open them tomorrow with company, so I could thank the givers immediately.

Stretching, I lowered myself to the cold ground, hoping to make for the kitchen for a cold drink. I was wide awake. Nothing could put me to sleep. Usually I would travel with my handy drawing pad, but even my most prized possession was worthless to me now. It felt odd, traveling stealthily through the corridors without that extra bit of weight in my skirt pocket. I finally reached my destination, and eagerly I grabbed a glass. I squeezed too hard, and the glass exploded in my grip, the shards piercing the same skin I had already pierced that night. My bleeding hand felt numb with pain as I stood there, annoyed. I couldn't even get a simple _drink of water_. Licking my parched lips, I turned the faucet on and leaned over the sink, gobbling up the water such as an animal would.

Good. I felt better. Quickly, I flipped the faucet off, oblivious of my own blood slowly dripping on the floor. I picked up my skirts and pushed my way through the double doors. I walked quickly, so that I wouldn't wake the sleeping ones, especially my sisters. As I rushed quietly down the darkened hallway, I realized I was going down the wrong wing. I blinked. Stupid of me. Guess I was half asleep after all. Quickly, I was about to turn around, when a familiar voice stopped me.

It was coming from the room where my mother was confined. The room with the largest windows, the room overlooking the beautiful forest. The door was slightly ajar. My keen ears perked up, telling me the low, soothing voice belonged to none other but Legolas. My heart lurched at the mere thought of him. The archery lessons? What would happen to the archery lessons now? Quietly, I tiptoed to the crack of the door, making sure not to betray my presence.

He was talking in rapid elvish, a poem of some sort. I knew the dialect well, but my head began to get groggy and harder for me to translate the complex wordings. We were raised to learn the language of Men as our first language, Elvish second. Surreptitiously, I cocked my head to the side, taking a quick peek inside the shadowed room, my breath cooped inside of me. Legolas halted in his mutterings.

There he was, sitting in the same chair my father sat in just a while ago. He was dressed in a light tunic for bed, but apparently he wouldn't be sleeping very soon. His poignant, compassionate gaze, the only part of him that held the absolute emotion, was lost in my mother's passive, pale face. She lay there, dark hair in masses, and eyes closed. Her breathing came out evenly, and I was glad she went to sleep at last. Her hand dangled over the edge, where Legolas held it lightly in his palm. His other hand was stroking, stroking softly her cheek, as if he was lulling her into a sleep deeper than she had ever slept before. The moonlight flowed in the room, almost as if it was a spotlight, aimed at just this little area of the spacious chamber. It was a picturesque sight, like a perfect scene for a painting or sketch. How I longed to draw the scene. Every little detail.

I sniffed, and touched my face, which was wet. I was crying. I needed an outlet, to release all this anger and sadness. But my outlet was cruelly snatched from me. As I reached up to wipe my face, I lost my balance and I leaned over too much. The weight of my hand pushed the door farther open. I gasped, reprimanding myself of my clumsiness.

Legolas jumped cleanly to his feet, and our eyes met.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, feeling my face grow hot. I felt so embarrassed. What right did I have to go snooping around? I was supposed to be asleep. Resting.

"You're supposed to be asleep," Legolas murmured, reading my thoughts.

"W-well," I squeaked. "I can't. So I went…to get a drink of water…"

"What happened to your hand?" Legolas asked, stepping forward quickly and taking it. Gently, he inspected the cut.

"The glass," I squeaked even higher. I felt so groggy, and that I would faint any moment. "It broke."

Immediately, my hand was bandaged in a clean cloth, under his professional care. "Curse Acharnon," Legolas muttered. "I can't believe he did this to you."

"It's not your fault," I reassured him. He looked up at me, dropping my hand. "I know you still think it is. But don't."

He didn't answer.

"Where's dad?"

"I told him to get some rest. It's unhealthy to stay awake for so long. He told me to take his place, for tonight." He shrugged. "I'm not that tired." He sighed, casting a backwards glance at my mother. I felt my heart wrench just to look at her. Quietly, as not to wake her, I sat in the chair and took her hand in mine, feeling a vibrant warmth still dwelling there, despite her handicap. I clutched it tight, and closed my eyes. Quickly, her eyes fluttered open, and I looked at her. "Sorry for waking you, mom," I whispered. "Go to sleep. I'm here. I'm here for you. We'll have you moving again in no time." I thought I saw a hint of a smile on her lips, but perhaps it was a hallucination. She closed her eyes and resumed her sleep.

"I'm worried about Eldarion," I told Legolas. "He hasn't come out of his room since we set foot in the house."

He looked at me, and it made my heart stir. It was if he could see into my soul, and see my deepest secrets. I lowered my gaze as he spoke. "Everyone needs their alone time," he said simply, his eyes trailing to the moonlit forest outside the open window. I understood the bond he had with Nature. It was _his_ outlet.

"I know," I whispered.

Peaceful silence flooded the room, and I felt my body become light, as if my soul was lifting into an ethereal world. My mother's figure became hazy, and I blinked as the colors around me toned down, and faded into grayscale. While the rest of my body grew light, my head grew heavy, and intense sleep was pressing against my eyelids. I wondered what time it was, but it hurt so much to think. I let go of my mother's hand, and forgot about my curse as I used my hands to push myself up from the chair. My hands wavered, and as sleep nearly conquered, I never really noticed Legolas catching my fall. I felt a vague warmth surround me, and as I finally slipped into a world of sleep, Legolas carried me back to my room and placed my body against the sheets. As he did to my mother, he reached out with his slender fingers and stroked my cheek.

"Happy birthday, Min. Sleep well."

**Inklings for the Impossible & The Council** _through Eldarion's eyes_

I was half expecting as I yawned that morning that an out-of-tune voice would erupt from my mouth, as what usually happened when I yawned. It felt awkward, yawning silently when you've been yawning loudly for nearly all your life. It spoils the day, to be reminded of your muteness. I had a natural instinct to groan because of this, but I only felt the air escape my lips, and I heard no sound. Not only was speech taken away from me, but every single bit of sound. The entire voice box was taken. All I could think of was how much that _sucked_.

A loud knock on my door sent me springing up from my bed like a jack-in-the-box. I didn't want to stand up and open the door, just to yell 'COME IN' really really loud, but things had been changing since last night. I stood up and wobbled over to the door. I opened it. My heart lunged in my chest as I saw Nurithil's emerald eyes blinking at me. All of a sudden I felt really hot, and I even felt the room heat up.

She was carrying a tray with my breakfast on it, and another small bowl with the medicine the healers had been trying to pour down me the previous night. I looked at her white hands, which were shaking. "Please," she uttered. "Stay in your bed. I'll prepare everything for you on your table. You needn't wake so early." I silently obeyed what she told me. I felt stupid. I wanted to talk _so badly_. "I added something to your medicine to make it taste better," Nurithil went on. I stared at her back as she laid everything out on the table. A bowl of porridge, a piece of embroidered cloth on the left side. "I…I also brought you this." She turned around, and fished out a notepad with thick parchment from her pocket. She also took out a quill, and a bottle of ink. She handed these two things to me.

I couldn't stop staring at her. That was probably why she lowered her eyes quickly, and stepped back like she was afraid of me. Deftly, I unscrewed the bottle of ink and dipped my quill inside.

_Thank you,_ I wrote. I flashed this at her.

"You're welcome," she replied, and smiled. This made me feel even more hot.

_What'd you put in the medicine?_

"I won't spoil things for you," she laughed. "Just take it, and we'll all feel better, okay?" She paused, and curtsied. "Well, once you're up, you can meet your family outside, in the gathering area…I heard you're going to have a council about this…quest." A look of worry crossed her face. "All my prayers are with you."

_All right. Thanks again._

She managed another small smile, and left the room, closing the door softly behind her. A few minutes later, I cursed myself of having such thoughts about a servant. What was up with me? Things between us just weren't possible. With my not talking, everything was even more limited.

* * *

"The council has begun!" My father's voice loomed over the council area, which was rarely used except for when Min drew such insulting caricatures of people that this was the place she was lectured and embarrassed in front of the whole family. My eyes scanned the area. There was Legolas, looking all regal, sitting across from me. He sent me an encouraging look. On his left side was my mother, with two guards/caretakers behind her back to watch over her since she apparently had the worse curse of them all. On his right was Minyarė, who was staring into her lap and looking extremely tired, as if she hadn't slept in years. Trailing down in the semi-circle of chairs were my other sisters, who were fidgeting and looking tired and worried. They looked like they hadn't gotten much sleep either. We were just all a bunch of tired worried unfortunate people, gathered to discuss an unfortunate quest. The rest of the day wasn't looking very bright.

My father cleared his throat, which caught the attention of some drooping heads slipping into sleep. "I apologize for the events of last night, on Minyarė's birthday. I firstly want to repeat myself on how proud I am of you, Minyarė-"

Min's head jerked up.

"-and that I don't care if you're seventeen or seventeen thousand, you'll always be precious to me."

Min looked down in her lap once again, and yawned. She wasn't an easy person to flatter.

My father continued, his eyes grazing over the heads of his family members, and one solitary blond head. "About the events of last night. I apologize if you were worried. I know it was a shock for all of us…I was _greatly_ shocked. But I assure you that we'll get everything settled. That is why we are here…to discuss a quest that your brother, Eldarion, and your sister, Minyarė, and most likely Legolas, our guest, will be taking."

Small bursts of outrage and worry exploded from my sisters. The twins began bawling again, and it broke my heart to see tears streaming down their faces. They couldn't bear to lose us. How sad.

"IT WILL ALL BE FOR THEIR BENEFIT!" My father yelled over the noise. "Please, don't fret! They will be _all right_. Once the quest is fulfilled, the curses will be lifted, and your siblings _and_ your mother will be back to normal. Understood? DO WE HAVE THIS UNDERSTOOD AND STRAIGHTEND OUT?"

I scribbled a hasty '_Yes'_ on my notepad and waved it around. I wanted the council over with as soon as possible. My father saw this, and a relieved look washed over his face, as he saw at least one person was willing to fully cooperate. After a few minutes, my sisters quieted down. I noticed Erhothien wasn't holding a book at all- the first time ever in her entire life. Clearly everyone realized the seriousness of this.

"Er- the council will be _very_ brief- only a few minutes…so…we can…ah…get back to our…_priorities_," father continued. I grinned. I knew he hadn't eaten. He was always at a loss for words whenever he was hungry. But I could tell he wanted this over and done with. "It is only fair to let everyone know what the cursed ones' tasks are. Legolas?"

The blond elf stood up, and rambled them off. Befriend and enemy's enemy's enemy's untamed creature, recover what (stinkin') Acharnon lost and bring it back in good condition, and each of our individual tasks. As he listed them off, I could see everyone getting more and more restless. They were all impossible. It was like trying to read in utter darkness. Legolas finally finished, and he sat back down. His face remained passive, as if he wasn't affected in the least bit. I peered at his eyes, and it was as if the ocean's waves washed within. Trouble lurked there.

"Well- there they are. I assure you we will all try our best to find the solutions. We must have high hopes through these…tribulations." My father cleared his throat angrily. Apparently he couldn't wait to get a hold of Acharnon once more and beat his face in. He eyed Min, Legolas, and me. "You three- you will set out at once tomorrow morning, following the nearest trail to wherever. Stay out of places where you know trouble lingers. Today we pack your supplies, necessary foods, and such. It will be a long journey. It will require patience." He paused. "But we will succeed. We will _end this_. Your mother will be able to move again, Min will be able to draw like she's never drawn before, and Eldarion- he can say whatever he chooses to say."

Ibequesse dried her eyes with a handkerchief and sniffed loudly. Neverin's eyes were popping out of her head, while her twin was fast asleep, her head nodding into her lap.

"One last thing," father droned on. "If you ever need help- if you should ever come here- please don't hesitate to do so. We're always here to help you." He sighed, and a strange loneliness flooded the area. "Council dismissed."

Brief indeed. But easier said than done.

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As the area emptied, Min caught up with me and stopped me in my tracks. "Eldarion," she breathed. I glanced down at what she embraced in her arms. "Thanks for the canvas. I opened my gifts today, and yours was the first one. It just stuck out." She smiled, her face a rosy red. "I thought I would never get drawing material this big. It might be…" she sniffed- "a…while, before I could start drawing on it, but I'd just like to tell you…it means _so much_ to me." She smiled another teary smile.

_Hey, you're welcome,_ I scribbled. _This will all be over soon. You just wait and see_.

All the while I was thinking, _yeah, right. As_ if.

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